


Star Wars: Chapter I - Attack of the Droids

by HeiroHera



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Original Trilogy, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Action, Adventure & Romance, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/F, F/M, Fairy Tale Elements, Gen, M/M, Multi, Other, Retelling
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-03
Updated: 2020-06-03
Packaged: 2021-03-03 22:47:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,326
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24523333
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HeiroHera/pseuds/HeiroHera
Summary: A retelling of the Star Wars saga set in an alternate universe.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 1





	1. Prologue

She looked over the precipice and took a breath, her trembling foot sending small pebbles over the ledge. She shifted her body forward, eyes closed, exhaling slowly.

“Rey.” 

She cried out, nearly losing her footing in the process but regained it in time, her heart pounding in her ears. She spun around to face the caller, one hand flying to her light saber. 

It was a man, standing barely five feet away. In the bowers of early twilight, he looked more like an old hologram projection, faint light appeared to be emanating from him and yet she could see through his body to the wall of rock brooding behind him at the same time. It was a disconcerting feeling. 

Rey shifted her left leg back, just to ensure the void of space was still there and that she had not fallen yet, for it occurred to her that she might truly be going mad. But as she felt her foot wobbling in nothingness and the tinges of her leg muscles as her body fought to regain balance, the reality of the moment came crashing down. She breathed deeply and slowly took a step forward.

Center yourself Rey!, she thought to herself.

After another moment of staring at the strange apparition, realization bloomed in her eyes. This was no man, nor was he a hologram projection. He was a ghost – the shade of a Jedi who had passed into oneness with the Force. She faintly remembered reading a small passage on the subject while in the library with Gxahno. But she had never seen one before, never believed she ever would. 

“Who are you?” she asked nervously. 

“What are you doing here, Rey?” He replied, ignoring her question.

“How do you know my name?” she asked, trying to put more confidence and authority into her voice. He had surprised her after all. Unless he owned the mountain, she had every right to be here. 

A half-smile flitted across his bearded face. “If I tell you who I am, will you tell me what you’re doing?” 

Rey felt an all too familiar sensation of guilt settling into her gut, and she was sure her shame was only too obvious in her flushed face and neck. What was clear to her now was that this ghost, by his dress and mannerisms, was definitely a Jedi, and no matter the pain she felt, she would show him as much respect as she could until her last.

All the while as she processed these thoughts, the ghost had stood and watched her. When she had gummed up the courage to meet his eyes again, he smiled broadly and spoke.

“Forgive my rudeness and if I scared you just now. I’m Luke Skywalker,” he paused, holding her gaze carefully, “I’m here to rescue you.”

She hadn’t meant to laugh but the chortle of disbelief passed from her lips before she could stop it. 

“Luke Skywalker! Hahahahah, yeah right. You, you can’t be Luke Skywalker. Can you?!”

She was surprised when the ghost laughed as well, shaking his head and then rubbing his beard, his pale eyes twinkling like stars. 

“I admit, I had hoped to meet my grand-niece while I was still alive but…a lot of things happened before you were born. Of course, you wouldn’t know me.” His smile, the way his hair seemed to move in the breeze. She was suddenly reminded of the woman from her dreams, the regal one who said she was Rey’s grandmother. If only she could remember her name.

“Leia,” the ghost whispered, as if reading her thoughts. Rey’s eyes must have become wide as saucers because Luke laughed again. Rey’s knees gave out, tears welling in her eyes.

“Are you really Luke Skywalker?! Are you really my great-uncle? Did you know my parents?” she asked. The storm inside her mind grew but she fought to hold on, she didn’t want to lose her connection with the Force and for him to disappear.

Sadness crept across Luke’s face. He seemed to almost bow as he crouched down, just a few inches from her now.

“Rey, my child, it’s your turn to tell me what you are doing here. I’ve told you who I am.” Heat scorched her cheeks as she hastily moved to wipe away the tears.

“You already know, don’t you? Why I’m here,” she sniffed. She looked behind her, into the chasm. Her heart grew wistful even as her headache spread.

“Master Skywalker. I—” she began.

“Luke. Call me Uncle Luke,” he interjected softly. His eyes were so filled with love that Rey thought her heart might explode then and there.

“Uncle Luke. I’m a failure. I failed! I’m sorry,” she babbled, the tears flowing freely now as she looked down at her hands.

“How do you think you have failed Rey?” he asked soothingly.

“You know,” she whined, “it’s obvious, isn’t it? I’m not strong enough in the Force to protect any of my friends. We’re all in danger and I can’t help anyone. I…I wanted so badly to believe that I could help, that I could finally belong and have a real life. That I’d become real and I just…I just can’t. I’m tired. I’m a nobody. And I’m so tired and I just want it all to stop,” she finished softly.

“Let me guess. You think the galaxy would be better off without you, don’t you Rey?” he asked. She was surprised by how succinctly he seemed to sum up her thoughts but then chided herself for the thought – he was a Force ghost after all. Surely, they must know everything.

“I’m weak. There’s something wrong with me. I’m not strong, not like you or the other Jedi. I don’t have your power. The world is ending anyway, and I just…” it was too hard for her to continue. The air inside her lungs was failing her voice and she fought to hold back her sobs. She had so many things she wanted to ask him but the misery and impending sense that time was running out made her feel like she would fail in even accomplishing that if she tried any longer. 

Luke shifted and sat cross-legged in front of her. He drew himself up, and out of habit from her training with Master Solo, she did the same. This close, she could see his whole body seemed to be made of clusters of pale blue stars and nebulae and if she wasn’t mistaken, he appeared to be hovering slightly above the ground. It was mesmerizing.

“You remind me so much of your mother, you know that.” Rey’s jaw dropped.

“You really do,” he laughed, “her name was Rey too by the way, not sure if you knew that. Well, actually her full name was Reyna Amidala Solo, but we called her Rey. And your immediate uncle’s name is Ran Organa Solo--.”

“Master Solo!” Rey practically screeched, nearly jumping up, an action which had she completed it, would have sent her flying back into oblivion. But Luke raised his hand and she felt it, the energy coursing over her and a firm weight pushing her back down. Her mind raced. 

Am I dreaming? Can this be true? Is Master Solo my uncle!? Do I have more family? Why didn’t they come find me? 

“Rey,” Luke called her again. She snapped back to attention.

“My apologies Master Skywalker, I—”

“I understand Rey, it’s okay. I know this is a lot to process. Believe me, I’ve had my fair share of family reveals. And the name is Uncle Luke, remember?” he smiled wryly. Rey tried to quell the trembling in her hands. 

“As I was saying, you remind me of your mother. I appeared to her once as well and—"

“Appeared?” Rey jumped on the wor and then hastily dropped her eyes, tears beginning to well up again. 

“So that means, you saw my mother when you were a…when you were like you are now?”

Luke nodded, the sadness back in his eyes. “Oh yes. I raised her like my own daughter. And yes, I also saw her again after I had…,” he paused and shook his head before resuming, “Like you Rey, she was going through a rough time.” Rey’s eyes widened. 

“What happened to her?” she asked, transfixed.

“Life.” 

Rey nodded to herself, letting his response sink in. When she looked up again, he was still smiling softly, he’d raised his right hand as if to pat her head, but he did not touch her.

“When I appeared to your mother, she was very upset. She felt like everything was going wrong around – both inside and outside of herself – and she didn’t know what to do. She didn’t feel like herself anymore and she wasn’t sure if she ever would be again. But I’ll tell you a secret Rey. We all experience moments of doubt and when your mother had hers, I came to her just as I have come to you now.”

Rey couldn’t help herself. Her headache momentarily at bay, she dared to ask. “But what happened to her? What did you tell her?”

Just then, the sunlight broke through the clouds and illuminated his form, making him seem like he was made of hollowed out blue glass. To her relief, Luke did not disappear. The sunlight also swept across Rey, warming her skin and drying her cheeks. He was practically at the sight and straightened his posture up even more. Sheepishly Rey tried to follow suit, mirroring him as he drew in a deep breath and slowly exhaled, gazing off momentarily into the dawn.

“Well, if you’re really curious to know what happened to your mother, to learn about your family, I’ll tell you. But,” he scratched his chin and gave her a small wink, “I should probably start from the beginning.”

“Yes, please,” Rey murmured, her brief smile catching the sunlight.

“Very well,” Luke beamed, “A long time ago in our galaxy, far, far away…”


	2. The Boy

“Aaniiii! Aaaannii! Where are you?!!!!!!” 

The woman paused to catch her breath, scanning the horizon from her doorway, the well-worn knots of her mechanical knuckles catching the light and gleaming as she held her throat. The suns baked the russet horizon, resulting in distorting vapors. In the far distance, she could just make out the telltale plumes of sand clouds creeping towards them. Another sandstorm. And her darling boy was late again. 

The familiar panic gripped her heart. Maybe this was it. Maybe this time the desert had claimed him once and for all – her miracle, her reason for living…her hope. Tears welled in her eyes as she took another breath, feeling that strange wave of energy roiling inside her like a cyclone. He must come back now, before it was too late.

“Annniiiii!!!!!!” she called again, the plea turning into a scream in the hot, stifling air. There. Finally, a mirage appeared in the distance. It was faint, more wisp than substance, but she recognized it like she knew her own dreams. As the shape drew near, coasting along, the strange hallucinogenic-like smoke trails dropped to reveal the form of a small boy. He waved. Even from a distance, she knew he was smiling.

The speed at which he approached let her know that he had found cargo, and her angst gave way, albeit briefly, to a small candle of happiness. 

“Hurry Ani! The storm!” she called to him as he drew near. 

The golden-haired boy jumped from his speeder which coughed up black smoke as he slid it into its docking bay and grabbed the net from its side. The weight caused him to fall over and she quickly stepped forward to help him.

“Mom! You’ll never believe it! Look what I found,” the boy exclaimed excitedly before she could even secure the door’s latch. No sooner was he inside than he was rummaging through the bag to show off his treasures. He pushed a small, round object into her hand, his dirt stained face alight with the glow of the desert and the beauty of childhood.

“Ani,” she tried to be stern but his infectious smile distracted her and she paused to examine what he had pushed into her hand. Upon realizing what it was, she almost dropped it in shock. A Draznian power converter. She had repaired thousands over the past two decades but never been able to find or keep one for herself. They were far too expensive to begin with and it was too dangerous for a slave to be caught hoarding one. And here one was, finally, as if it had just rolled off the factory line. Turning it over, she found its flaw, a pronounced dent in one side. 

“Will it work?” he asked, as if reading her thoughts. She looked down into his twinkling blue-gold eyes. 

“Yes, Ani, I think it will. Thank you, my love. But now it’s time for supper. Go wash up please. You scared me to death today. Promise me, you will never do that again.”

“But mooooommmmm…” he began to whine. She arched her brow and fixed him with her most stern expression, pointing towards the washroom. 

“Now!” she barked. He pouted but skipped off and once he had gone, she grabbed the nearest stool and sat down, trying to control her breathing. His bag of treasures still lay at her feet and she briefly surveyed the remaining items with one of her mechanical toes. The haul would suffice. Most of it was unusable junk at this point, but the converter and a near-mint hydraulic pin would be more than enough. Sometimes he came home with nothing at all and the tears he would try to hold back at those times almost broke her. 

But today was a good day, she realized quietly. Her boy was back home, safe and sound. Death, the god of the desert, had not taken him.

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: This is a work of fanfiction. I do not claim to own any of the canonical characters or details specific to the various Star Wars media, nor am I profiting financially from the stories posted. Star Wars remains the original brainchild of George Lucas and associates, and the current legal and creative property of the Walt Disney Company.


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